By Stephen Adeleye.
A Lawmaker, Mr Leke Abejide, Member House of Representatives, representing Yagba Federal Constituency, has pledged to empower 7000 widows and pay WAEC registration fees for students in that constituency.
Abejide spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the sideline of the Reception held in his honour by the South East Yagba Development Association (SEYDA) at Ife-Olukotun, in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi.
Abejide said that he had taken the statistics of all the widows across the three local government areas under Yagba federal constituency, saying there were about 7000 widows.
“By the grace of God, I have my laudable programmes for everyone including widows, women and youths.
“I have taken the statistics of widows in Yagba constituency, and they are about 7000, and I will be taking care of all of them going forward,” Abejide said.
He added that he did pay WAEC fees for all students in public schools in the whole of Yagba land in 2018 and promised to also extend the gesture to private schools in 2019.
“In the issue of payment of WAEC fees for our students which we promised to pay and we did fulfilled our pledge even before I won my election in March.
“We have done one in 2018 and by October 2019 we shall be doing another. We will not only pay for all the public school students, but we will also include the private schools.
“If they are so many, we will pay 100 per cent WAEC fees for students in public schools and 50 per cent for those in private schools.
“But if the number of students in private schools are not too high, we will pay 100 per cent for all students both in private and public schools,” he said.
Abejide pledged to urgently address and curtail the issue of herdsmen attack in the area, saying all herders in the area must comply with the laws of the land. This, he said, would enable the youths and farmers to go back to farming.
The lawmaker also promised to ensure that the township road from Omuwo-Ife-Olukotun-Jege- Ogbom-Odoere, a federal road, would be included in the federal budget to ensure that it was tarred.
“These are what I am making efforts to do and by the grace of God, we will succeed. Whatever is meant for Yagba; I am going to bring them home.
“I want to write my name in gold; I have not gone there to look for money, God has done his work already.
“So, I believe this is the time for our youth to be elevated and get employment into federal parastatals, MDAs, police, military, paramilitary, among others.”
He further promised to establish a cluster farming system that would specialise mostly on production of sesame seed saying people are making real money from its production and exportation.
“So, I am looking on how to empower our youths in such area and agriculture generally. Our farmers that are ready will also benefit from it, and these I would do any moment from now.
“I want you to continue to pray for me to see the favour of God anywhere I go, because we need the favour of God to get things done,” Abejide said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the reception was organised to honour two representatives; Mr Leke Abejide, Member House of Representatives, and Mr Jimoh Omiata, Member, Kogi House of Assembly, who were both from the southern part of Yagba East.
Earlier at the event, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, the Chairman of SEYDA, urged the two lawmakers to aggregate and push legislations and projects that would add value to the lives of the people.
(NAN)
